Sejiri Merfolk MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Merfolk Soldier
Released	2010-02-05
Set symbol
Set name	Worldwake
Set code	WWK
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	36
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Anthony Francisco

Key Takeaways

Sejiri Merfolk provides card advantage and can be a gateway to explosive turns in land-centric decks.
It requires precise mana and may be costlier compared to similar creatures, affecting deck flexibility.
In the right deck, this Merfolk offers versatility, combo potential, and resilience against certain spells.

Text of card

As long as you control a Plains, Sejiri Merfolk has first strike and lifelink. (Damage dealt by a creature with lifelink also causes its controller to gain that much life.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sejiri Merfolk, being part of a deck’s arsenal, offers strategic hand replenishment. Gaining card advantage against opponents is crucial, and this merfolk’s synergy with other cards can lead to drawing additional cards, maintaining a healthy hand size, and keeping pressure on the opponent.

Resource Acceleration: This aquatic ally often interacts with lands, specifically Plains and Islands, to offer a form of resource acceleration. While not directly providing mana, it supports land-based strategies that can lead to explosive turns, allowing for a rapid deployment of threats or interaction.

Instant Speed: Sejiri Merfolk isn’t an instant itself, but it benefits from playing at a tempo that includes instant-speed interactions. By playing other instants, you can keep opponents guessing while you steadily develop your battlefield, including the timely play of your merfolk when the waters are safe.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sejiri Merfolk demands a white permanent to grant its lifelink ability, which may force players to adjust their strategy just to optimize its use, potentially discarding other plays.

Specific Mana Cost: This card needs both white and blue mana, narrowing its synergy to Azorius or similar color-combined decks, thus limiting its overall deck compatibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its cost and utility within the game, Sejiri Merfolk can be overshadowed by other creatures that present greater value or impactful abilities for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sejiri Merfolk offers a flexible role in many deck types, serving both as an aggressive early creature and a defense against red and black spells when equipped with white mana.

Combo Potential: This fish ally shines in synergistic decks, where its ability to gain protection can be combined with buffs or equipments, enhancing its staying power on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where red and black spells dominate, Sejiri Merfolk emerges as a solid choice, warding off removal and pressing on fearlessly in the face of fiery removal or dark magic.

How to beat

Sejiri Merfolk, the intriguing aquatic ally from Magic: The Gathering, has a solid presence in decks that focus on water-themed synergies. This card becomes more robust when combined with white mana, gaining abilities that can complicate your strategies. Facing Sejiri Merfolk, the trick lies in limiting its strengths or outpacing its abilities.

Utilizing removal spells that don’t target, such as board wipes, can circumvent its protection from red when paired with white mana. Consider leveraging cards like “Wrath of God” or “Damnation,” which can clear the board without targeting and neutralize the threat of Sejiri Merfolk without allowing its abilities to activate. Moreover, keeping a disciplined mana base ensures that you can consistently cast these efficacious board-clearing spells.

Speed is another avenue to trump Sejiri Merfolk. Aggressive decks that can put pressure early on force choices between defending and developing the board. Efficient creatures coupled with disruption can outpace Sejiri Merfolk before its abilities become relevant. In essence, it’s about creating a game state where Sejiri Merfolk’s abilities are rendered inconsequential by overwhelming it or stripping its relevance entirely.

Cards like Sejiri Merfolk

Exploring the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, Sejiri Merfolk offers an interesting blend of abilities compared to its counterparts. This card has a conditional power-up feature that is shared with cards like Silvergill Adept, a favorite among Merfolk synergistic decks. Both cards swell the ranks of Merfolk enthusiasts and can be instrumental in building a commanding board presence. Yet, the Sejiri Merfolk edges forward with its landfall ability, granting it first strike and lifelink as long as you control a Plains.

Gazing into the depth of tribal bonuses, Coralhelm Commander offers a similar tribal affiliating strength. It too can become a powerhouse in Merfolk builds, albeit through level-up counters rather than the presence of other land types. The Commander necessitates ongoing mana investment to become a substantial threat, unlike Sejiri Merfolk’s passive condition. Additionally, there’s Merfolk Sovereign, providing a widespread buff to other Merfolk creatures you control, strengthening your aquatic army without specific land constraints.

In evaluation, Sejiri Merfolk stands out in decks hinging on land variety, especially those splashing white. It shines in providing incidental life gain while posing a first-strike threat on offense or defense, marking its unique space among Merfolk options in MTG.

Cards similar to Sejiri Merfolk by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sejiri Merfolk MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Sejiri Merfolk and other MTG cards: